Sandigan remands Doys graft case to Ombudsman
May 21, 2003 | 12:00am
The Sandiganbayan remanded to the Office of the Ombudsman yesterday the graft case against former Vice President Salvador "Doy" Laurel in connection with the alleged multibillion-peso Expo Pilipino scam.
The anti-graft courts fifth division said government prosecutors "deprived" Laurel, former chairman of the National Centennial Commission, of his right to file an appeal because he was only given a copy of their decision on the same day he was indicted.
In a two-page resolution, the fifth division said Laurel was "deprived of his statutory rights to file a motion for reconsideration" when the case was filed last March 21, the same day he received a copy of the Ombudsmans ruling holding him liable for graft.
Laurel was given 15 days within which to file his appeal, while the Office of the Special Prosecutor was given 30 days to submit to the Sandiganbayan a "status report" on the case.
Laurels request to suspend the Sandiganbayan proceedings, however, was denied.
The anti-graft court held that Laurels plea to hold the trial and arraignment in abeyance was "not a valid ground" to suspend the proceedings.
Laurel was scheduled to be arraigned last May 2, but this was reset after President Arroyo declared it a "non-working holiday."
Laurel said the Ombudsman failed to furnish him a copy of the resolution before filing the information in court, which is the normal practice.
He said this is a "serious irregularity in the conduct of preliminary investigation."
Laurel was indicted for allegedly unilaterally increasing the budget of the Freedom Ring, the teflon-roofed amphitheater of the Expo Pilipino in Clark Field, Pampanga, from P248 million to P1.165 billion.
The Ombudsmans probers said Laurel allegedly hiked the Freedom Ring budget without the benefit of a public bidding, and that he allegedly gave unwarranted benefits to the Asia Construction and Development Corp. (Asiakonstrukt) when the NCC awarded the project to the company.
Investigators said the NCC allegedly issued to Asiakonstrukt a "notice to proceed without the benefit of a contract" and allowed the payment of P384 million to the company "without the benefit of a public bidding."
The anti-graft courts fifth division said government prosecutors "deprived" Laurel, former chairman of the National Centennial Commission, of his right to file an appeal because he was only given a copy of their decision on the same day he was indicted.
In a two-page resolution, the fifth division said Laurel was "deprived of his statutory rights to file a motion for reconsideration" when the case was filed last March 21, the same day he received a copy of the Ombudsmans ruling holding him liable for graft.
Laurel was given 15 days within which to file his appeal, while the Office of the Special Prosecutor was given 30 days to submit to the Sandiganbayan a "status report" on the case.
Laurels request to suspend the Sandiganbayan proceedings, however, was denied.
The anti-graft court held that Laurels plea to hold the trial and arraignment in abeyance was "not a valid ground" to suspend the proceedings.
Laurel was scheduled to be arraigned last May 2, but this was reset after President Arroyo declared it a "non-working holiday."
Laurel said the Ombudsman failed to furnish him a copy of the resolution before filing the information in court, which is the normal practice.
He said this is a "serious irregularity in the conduct of preliminary investigation."
Laurel was indicted for allegedly unilaterally increasing the budget of the Freedom Ring, the teflon-roofed amphitheater of the Expo Pilipino in Clark Field, Pampanga, from P248 million to P1.165 billion.
The Ombudsmans probers said Laurel allegedly hiked the Freedom Ring budget without the benefit of a public bidding, and that he allegedly gave unwarranted benefits to the Asia Construction and Development Corp. (Asiakonstrukt) when the NCC awarded the project to the company.
Investigators said the NCC allegedly issued to Asiakonstrukt a "notice to proceed without the benefit of a contract" and allowed the payment of P384 million to the company "without the benefit of a public bidding."
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